For years now, “democracy” has been run in Pakistan like a closed shop. The political leadership of the country, both those in government and those who form the “friendly” opposition, aided and abetted by choice bureaucrats, have taken their turns at the till. The country has been subjected to unabated plunder to the point of bringing it to the very brink of economic implosion.
This is now so clear that for those with even some light in their eyes and a particle of honesty, this is no longer a point of contention.
But with Cyril Almeida’s recent article, what now needs being considered is whether this plunder of national assets was being driven entirely by unsatiable greed, or was it impelled by an agenda to destroy Pakistan.
This article was treasonous on two counts:
- It outed deliberations of a meeting called to discuss national security issues at the highest level. These were therefore “top secret” by their very nature. To broadcast the gist of these discussions was thus a crime. What matters is not whether the reporting was accurate or not. What matters is that what was put out and given currency in world media was certified as the truth by a major daily of Pakistan.
- Ever since the Uri attack India has gone on the offensive against Pakistan. Their effort, among others, is to paint Pakistan as a state sponsor of terrorism, and India is finding an increasingly willing audience in the West for their narrative. The story in Dawn has tweaked this narrative a little and brought it in line with what India is charging Pakistan with. In a nutshell what it has done is to say: that the Prime Minister’s office agrees with the charge that Pakistan is indeed a sponsor of terrorism, but that it was not the Government of Pakistan, which was following this policy, but it was the Pakistan Army which was doing so.
Can anyone honestly deny the cogency of this interpretation? And is this a serious issue?
It is extremely serious on two counts:
- It has denigrated the only army in the present day world, which is totally dedicated to its anti-terrorism operations, and has big successes to show for them. It is daily paying a price in lives lost and limbs shattered. With the P.M’s office agreeing with the enemy narrative, the morale of those giving blood for their country is the next thing which will lie shattered.
- But the extremely serious implication of the Dawn article will show itself when we next need to apply for loans, many of which have been contracted to make up for the shortfall created by the plunder to which Pakistan has been subjected. It is then that this admission by the Prime Minister’s office [that the Pakistan Army is indeed a rogue institution which is involved with sponsorship of terrorism], will be played up to our detriment. This is one of the handles which will be used by interests adversarial to us to apply the squeeze on Pakistan. The aims of this squeeze should clearly be foreseen as follows:
–to take away Pakistan’s nuclear assets under threat of sanctions.
–to sabotage the CPEC.
–to give India a free hand to challenge China in the region by nullifying Pakistan as a cogent
distraction.
Whether legal precedence exists or not, the Army must knock at the door of the Supreme Court, to create a precedence and be heard regarding its apprehensions over National Security. Also to try set afoot a military inquiry, invoking the National Secrets Act, and the Pakistan Army Act, and try the culprits and punish them.
The camel has indeed borne with dignity and grace the burden put on it. It must refuse this last straw if it is to remain standing and save its spine.